Promotion of Polish Cinema Abroad as an Element of Nation Branding. Case Study of “Cold War” (2018) by Pawel Pawlikowski

Abstract

The subject of this article is nation branding in the culture market, namely the role cinematography plays in creating a nation brand. Sustainability and sustainable development in the film industry is conditioned by variety in cultural promotion channels. The aim of the authors is to prove that appropriately organised cinematography promotion abroad can positively influence the image of a given country. The first section deals with the relationship between media and sustainable development, as well as with theoretical definitions of branding and the nation brand. Subsequently, cinematography in the context of branding is discussed. The core of this work is a case study of film promotion abroad from the institutional perspective of the Polish Film Institute. The promotional strategy for “Cold War” (2018) directed by Paweł Pawlikowski has been analysed, as this motion picture is considered one of the biggest successes of post-1989 Polish cinematography. Factors positively influencing its popularity were analysed alongside their influence on the general perception of Polish cinema abroad. Based on the results of empirical studies, the authors present their discussion of the functional state and the role of Polish cinematography on the global circuit, as well as attempt to verify its importance in relation to sustainability.